This invention relates to a socket for accepting a bulb of the type having projecting contact wires and to an assembly of a bulb of this type mounted in the socket of the present invention.
Bulbs known as capless or wedge base bulbs are used in many applications. This type of bulb comprises a base which is oblong in section and formed integrally with the glass envelope of the bulb which houses the electric filaments. The contacts which are connected with the filaments comprise wires which extend out of the end of the base and are then bent back so as to overlap opposite sides of the base in offset relation to one another.
During transport and handling the contact wires of this type of bulb frequently become bent out of alignment. This can present a problem in ensuring adequate contact between the contact wires of the bulb and the contact elements in the socket.
In designing a socket to take this type of bulb it is known from British patent specification No. 1,323,601 to provide resilient arcuate members for gripping and centralising the base of the bulb as it is inserted into the socket and resilient metal contact elements one on each side of the arcuate members for gripping the base of the bulb and making resilient contact with the contact wires. However, this type of socket construction does not have any provision for dealing with the problems which can arise if the contact wires of the bulb are bent out of their normal alignment before the bulb is inserted into the socket. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a socket for a capless or wedge base bulb which includes means in the socket for automatically aligning the contact wires of the bulb with the contact elements in the socket as the bulb is inserted into the socket.